§ 58. Mr. HURDasked the Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether, in view of the abandonment of Western Australian farm schemes as a result of the discovery of alkali deposits, he will draw the attention of that Government to the success which has attended farming on alkali lands in the Canadian Pacific belt in Western Canada as a result of corrective scientific treatment?
§ Mr. LUNNI will bring the hon. Member's question to the notice of His Majesty's Government in the Commonwealth of Australia.
§ Mr. HURDCan the Under-Secretary say whether a despatch has been received from the Western Australian Government as to the abandonment of the farm schemes?
§ 62. Sir K. WOODasked the Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether he can state the result of the communications by the Government with the Australian Government concerning the suspension of the grant of assisted passages to Australia?
§ Mr. LUNNI am not in a position to add anything to the telegrams between His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom and His Majesty's Government in the Commonwealth of Australia which were published in the Press of 13th December and 18th January last. From these the hon. Member will have seen that, in addition to the exception originally made in favour of the dependants of people already in Australia, the Commonwealth Government have agreed 1376 to accept as assisted migrants domestic workers as requisitioned by the State Governments and boy farm learners as approved by the States under proper safeguards regarding employment.
§ Sir K. WOODAm I to understand that nothing further has transpired since the telegrams which have been passing?
§ Mr. LUNNIf the right hon. Gentleman had listened to my answer, he would have heard that something further has transpired. We have got further additions to the class of migrants that the Commonwealth of Australia would accept.